Silencing Online Incivility: Examining the Effects of Impoliteness and Intolerance in Online Political Discussions

Abstract

Drawing on silencing and online incivility literature, this study examined how people evaluate and respond to impolite and intolerant online opinions in different discussion contexts. Based on a between-subject online survey experiment in the U.S. (N = 959), we found that people perceived impoliteness and intolerance as uncivil, leading to intentions to silence others. The results also revealed that intolerance resulted in higher perceived incivility and silencing intentions compared to impoliteness. Furthermore, the direct effects of impoliteness and intolerance on perceived incivility and their indirect effects on silencing intentions through perceived incivility were stronger in agreeing discussions than in disagreeing ones. However, social endorsement cues did not moderate the mechanisms.